But were interrupted by vacation.
So, you've made your list of existing business, made appointments to get together with those who are inactive, have done research on their companies and latest developments in their industries, have sat down and made direct, personal contact with them, informed them of what you've been learning about upcoming changes and potential legal exposures.
What now? Now comes one of the most important parts of these interactions. You must do what many would avoid doing- you must make yourself vulnerable by ASKING FOR THE BUSINESS. "I would like to help you with that" "I believe I can help you with that" "It would be a pleasure to assist you with that" "That sounds like something I could help you with, if you will give me that assignment"
I suspect it is this part that many would avoid, because you are jumping off into the interpersonal void-- that area that exists between yourself and anyone else, where you have no control whatever, the 'ball' has left your racket and is now sailing over the 'net' into the other's 'court'...
keeping the analogy going, if you've hit the ball well, the odds are good that it will come back softly in the middle of your side, and you'll get your racket on it. but there is always that unpredictable, unknown element in human relations. if you've positioned yourself with knowledge, quiet confidence, good, attentive listening, then you will have an assignment.
but, if the other side is in an unspoken budget crunch or constrained by some element that keeps him or her from giving the assignment, and all you get is 'We'll see...' or 'Thanks, but no thanks'.
the great tendency among us (humans) is to assume that this reply has something to do with ourselves, with 'me'...
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